A bill in the state House calls for so-called regional transportation tax, or T-SPLOST, votes to be conducted on a smaller scale. House Bill 195 will allow a few counties and cities to band together for referendums on fixing traffic troubles. The 2012 defeat of transportation tax referendums came after voters in large regions were asked to agree on a long list of big, expensive projects. Out of 12 regional districts, only three regions passed the transportation referendum: the Central Savannah River, the Heart of Georgia Altamaha, the River Valley district.

The Georgia Department of Transportation broke ground Wednesday on the first major regional project of the Transportation Investment Act, or TIA. The initiative is commonly known as TSPLOST. In the first six months revenues for the program have lagged behind projections.

The Georgia Department of Transportation broke ground Wednesday on the first major regional project of the Transportation Investment Act, or TIA. The initiative is commonly known as TSPLOST. In the first six months revenues for the program have lagged behind projections.

Exactly one year ago Georgia voters went to the polls to cast their ballots and decide the fate of the state’s Transportation Investment Act (TIA). The act allowed each of the state’s 13 regions to decide whether to implement an additional penny sales tax for transportation, which was commonly referred to as T-SPLOST.

Board members of the Georgia Department of Transportation voted Thursday to move forward with the bidding process for what the DOT called the first large project funded through the Transportation Investment Act (TIA). TIA has been commonly referred to as T-SPLOST, or Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

Nearly $9 million has been collected in taxes from three regions that voted to approve a 10-year, one percent transportation sales tax last year. Georgia Department of Transportation Spokeswoman Karlene Barron said Thursday that more than $8.7 million was collected from the Central Savannah River, River Valley and Heart of Georgia-Altamaha regional commission districts. The regions span 46 of the state's 159 counties.

The fate of the controversial transportation referendum has been decided. Voters in Georgia’s 12 regional districts voted Tuesday -only passing the so-called TSPLOST in 3 regions: The Central Savannah River District, the Heart of Georgia Altamaha district and the River Valley district.

Voters across the state are casting ballots for local elections as well as for a transportation penny sales tax, Democratic and Republican ballot questions, the Public Service Commissioner race, and some Congressional districts.